House Museum of Sliven life - Sliven

Overview

In the old Kaftandzhiyska neighborhood of Sliven, today a neighborhood in the northern part of the city, at 5 Simeon Tabakov Street, is one of the most beautiful Revival buildings in this part of Bulgaria. It was built in the first quarter of the 19th century for the wealthy abi and shayak merchant Boyu. The building is actually two houses, glued together and with a common roof, in which two households lived in the past. It was built by unknown masters from Tryavna, who created a real jewel from the Renaissance era. It is symmetrical, very ornamented, practical and at the same time declaring the high status of its owner. One house was called the house of Patkoolu (Patkova), and the other - smaller and built a little later, is known as Arnautka's house. Today, the Patkov House houses an ethnographic collection at the Regional Historical Museum in Sliven, revealing the way of life and everyday life in a craft house from the XIX century. Apart from the everyday life in a Bulgarian home from this era, the visitor gets acquainted with various crafts through the many authentic objects and tools - carpet weaving, coppersmithing, pottery, kebedzhiystvo (weaving of guberniya) and others. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the rituals in the Sliven region in the XIX century - daily and holiday food, costumes and various items related to the national and church holidays of the Bulgarians. In the Arnautkin House the exposition acquaints with the way of life and the arrangement of the Sliven town house from the beginning of the XX century, in which the traditional Revival architecture coexists with more modern furniture and decorations, many of which are imported from abroad. The House Museum of Sliven Life has an exclusive collection that attracts the interest of visitors with interests in ethnography and Bulgarian rural and urban folklore. The yard of the old building is also preserved in its original form with cobblestones, boxwood and a beautiful flower garden.